No, not exactly. Flanders is in western Belgium, and is where some of the bloodiest battles occured in World War I. Canadian troops were heavily concentrated there, and they had a huge mortality rate (something like 30% or more, I don't remember the exact statistics).
The poem was written by a Canadian army surgeon, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, who served in Belgium during the war. The poppy serves now as a reminder to us of all who sacrificed their lives for Canada and for Canada's beliefs. I believe it was because of this poem, in fact.
I plan on visiting there someday. I hear that the Belgian people to this day carefully tend the cemetaries of all the fallen soldiers, even those with no names. The crosses of unkown soldiers bear the inscription "Known Unto God."
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Date: 2005-11-11 08:46 pm (UTC)The poem was written by a Canadian army surgeon, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, who served in Belgium during the war. The poppy serves now as a reminder to us of all who sacrificed their lives for Canada and for Canada's beliefs. I believe it was because of this poem, in fact.
I plan on visiting there someday. I hear that the Belgian people to this day carefully tend the cemetaries of all the fallen soldiers, even those with no names. The crosses of unkown soldiers bear the inscription "Known Unto God."